Earthquake at 8.9 Hits Indonesia (April 11, 2012)

A magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck off Sumatra island if Indonesia on Wednesday, April 11, 2012. Reports said the government officials issued a tsunami warning and urged people to evacuate away from the coast.


Earlier reports said that the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has put the Indonesia quake at magnitude 8.6 from magnitude 8.9 earlier. It struck 431 kilometres (268 miles) off the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh where terrified residents poured into the streets.

AFP reports that "residents in Banda Aceh reported the ground shook for about five minutes, first mildly and then growing violent."

In a separate report from Reuters, a tsunami warning and evacuation order were issued by disaster prevention authorities in the southern Thai provinces of Phuket and Phangnga. The province has turned on the warning sirens and asked people all over Phuket island to move to a safe place.

No tsunami warning was issued in the Philippines as the quake is too far from the country.